Very good selection and variety of comics, figures, single issues graphic novels and…read moreomnibuses/compendiums. This is a cheap shop and you get what you expect really. Ideal place for shopping for nerdy stuff. Service is amazing they are willing to help with anything at all. Amazing place, will definitely be visiting again

The best place for sci fi and movie items, well its the only place really…read more Has been there for as long as i can remember and changed very little throughout the years. A great slection of film and sci-fi figures, comics and books and all other possible memorabilia available. Prices can be steep but it is a specialised type of shop. Does have some interesting ltd edition items. It does look quite dark from the outside but inside is much better

I visited on Friday with a repair query. They repaired it there and then although it had not been…read more bought there. Very impressive. Professional, friendly staff. I will definitely return and recommend. Thanks Marian

The Rudell's new website looks really good; I managed to find a new bracelet for my wife. I…read morereserved the one she wanted and went into the Birmingham store the staff were great, really friendly and helpful. Will definitely return in the future. Thanks Neil.

Cute, quaint, quirky, cosy and homely little bookstore-come-cafe (:…read more It's average opening hours are 11-6 during which time you can grab a slice of cake, tea, coffee etc, have a peruse through some books, and chill on their big comfy sofa! I find a lot of coffee places just don't really want you stay and they have hard, uncomfy furniture to reflect that. But not here! This place often has events that extend its opening hours, too. My favourite is the 'big comfy folk club' which are folk and acoustic sessions hosted on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. Next one is on 4th March and tickets are only a fiver! Brilliant intimate venue, and the performers usually stick around for a while afterwards which is nice (: OH ALSO, WINE! The big comfy book shop serves alcohol! Live music + book shop + cake + red wine = total winner. See you on the 4th!

I really like The Big Comfy Bookshop!…read more It is a quant used book shop that is family owned. The owner spent over a year compiling books to open his shop, and ever since has kept a good variety of books that are unique to customers, or a popular search result of a used book. There is always fresh coffee, tea options, beer and wine, and some sort of snacks like crisps or cake for sale. Seating is available to hang out with friends for a little while or to start tucking into your future purchase. Also I noticed that live folk music nights and game nights regularly occur here too! Great place!

Waterstones on High Street, just outside the Bullring is the largest location of Waterstones I've…read moreseen, this one is in Birmingham city centre. The store has six floors including two cafes and multiple floors with toilets - Click and Collect (online orders) is conveniently on the ground floor in case you're in a hurry and don't want to navigate throughout the whole store, which can be a little awkward as this isn't something you'd expect to do from a book shop. The staff seemed disinterested which is a shame, and not too willing to help and with a book store as big as this one - it is something you'd often need to enhance the experience from book recommendations to finding a book if you already have one in mind - they do have writing on "recommended" books but unlike other stores these are newspaper quotes which every book seems to have which are easily found online or even on the book its-self once you pick it up - I mean come on, are the staff literate with a passion for books and customer service? PERSONALISATION. Other than the size of the store, it doesn't really stand out - the store seems to follow the newer and more modern layout Waterstones are slowly rolling out (sadly this hasn't arrived in my home town of Manchester yet!) 3* based on a great central location in Birmingham and huge size over multiple floors, the layout and slightly cramped nature of the ground floor and disinterested staff really is a shame because without it the store could even warrant a high four-star rating.

This Waterstones is accessible from the High Street and also from the top floor of the Pavillions…read moreshopping mall. This store is large, spacious and airy with a huge selection of books. Anything you can think of you will find and if they dont stock it they will search to see if its at the New Street branch (the other large store) or order it in for you. There is a Costa Coffee on the first floor and the 4th floor has a large floor space dedicated to travel and the world. As you walk across to pay for your purchase you get a nice view of inside the Pavillions and as you take the glass elevator back down you get a whirl wind view of New Street :-)

This tiny place is a bit of a hidden gem if you are looking for gift inspiration…read more The entire shop is packed up to the roof with amazingly cheap books starting from £1-£2! Even the hardback books that you would expect to pay more for start at £3-£4. This is an outlet store so don't do expecting the newest releases, but there are some seriously good discounts available for those willing to spend the time looking through the shelves.

WHSmith in Birmingham New Street Station is a fairly strange store down to the construction of New…read moreStreet Station as it basically is two stores in one back to back, mainly down to the ticket gates being past the stores so the store had to compromise through having a larger store and then a small store round of the back. For me this does affect the overall store as the stock is less, the store is more cramped and smaller in both sides as the average travel store would be. I came in here to grab a quick drink to take onto my train, the prices were higher than normal with it down to being a travel store. The manned till was empty and the store was really understaffed which meant a long wait time to redeem and sort out my coupon, which was frustrating as for me a travel store especially should be quick with a staff member on hand to help and there should always be at least one manned till for people who might struggle with one of the two self-service machines or wanting to buy something age restricted such as an energy drink. WHSmith is in pretty much every Railway Station, and although the stock is slight, size, service and overall feel is worse than other travel locations and price is perhaps nearer than nearby locations (remember Grand Central with a Tesco and many other retailers is right above New Street and this store) it still deserves at least two-stars for location and having a satisfactory beverage selection.

This shop is a lifesaver! They carry magazines, paperback books, candy and travel essentials…read more Ladies, this shop seems to be the only place at New Street aside from Boots that sells feminine hygiene products. Boots always seems to have a queue but its really easy to zip in and out of here.

I love the Ikon Gallery bookshop. Whether you want exhibition catalogues, postcards, greetings…read morecards, zines, gifts or books; It's all pretty much there and curated and displayed in the style you would expect from Birmingham's premier contemporary art gallery. I love nothing better on a lazy spring Sunday then to wander up to Ikon to browse their art books and magazine collection. Since the closure of Borders, this is the best place to flick through and purchase those high-end, imported fashion and art magazines which are so hard to find on the high street. They stock a great range of design books too, from web design to arcitechture, and they have a good range of books and gifts for children. I recommend this shop 100% - go and check it out!

Small and perfectly proportioned - the Ikon bookshop fits a HUGE range of books, stationery and…read moregift items into a teeny tiny space. I can be a very lazy art lover, and there's been more than one occasion where I've really wanted to go and see a show, and for one reason or another I've managed to miss it - so it's always a joy when I visit the bookshop, and they still have copies of past exhibition catalogues.. Hooray, I can snap one up and pretend to all my arty friends that I was there and saw it in person! Alongside their book selection, they stock awesome cards, postcards, wrapping paper, Moleskine notebooks (ahhh every artist/writer loves a Moleskine, right?) and other smaller trinkets such as artist designed badges and the occasional zine. The magazine selection is also enticing, though by the time I've spent money on books and stationery I end having to forego any magazines as well.

'The Works' in Banbury is a cheap book shop that deals also in seemingly random objects such as…read morecheap toys, cards and other plastic objects. The shop is great for a massive discount but not really for searching for a most wanted book. Also available at 'The Works' are celebrity calenders, postcards, posters and for some reason lots of books about Steam Railways?! The shop often is very disorganised, with some items not really displayed but merely plonked down in their original packaging with the top ripped open. However, the shop is good for childrens books, big floppy paperbacks that kids love. It does seem quite a kids orientated shop actually, running all over the place whenever I've passed. The best thing about the shop is its location. The shop is situated right in the heart of the town centre, literally probably the most central shop in the town. A good shop for Christmas when you dont know what to buy for presents!

The works is a great store for cheap books. from cook books to world war 2. each time i go in there…read moreseems to be something new. The works also sell craft supplys, card and canvas's. lots be discovered here. The staff always seem to be very busy and hard to pin down but when you do they are very helpful. not a big store to take a buggy in but its managable if no to busy